From F to Hot Water!
by Party-Shoes16
Summary: We all know that Ponyboy Curtis is the smartest greaser in the gang, but what about when he's in a classroom full of socs? What will happen if he can't cut it, or worse, Darry finds out?
1. Chapter 1

From "F" to "Hot Water!"

Chapter # 1: Telling Darry

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, just the experience of this story.

Ponyboy sighed as his math teacher instructed the class to take out their homework from the night before, and switch papers.

Darry had been working very late nights these last few weeks, and Ponyboy had therefore forgotten to ask his older brother to check over his work, again. He was sure that Darry would ground him for a month if he knew how poorly he was doing in Math.

Bringing his thoughts back to reality, Ponyboy started to focus on the task at hand. He graded the paper in front of him carefully, put the grade on it with a red pencil, and handed it back to its owner.

Ponyboy looked across the table at the boy who was grading his paper. He seemed to be having some trouble.

"I'll know what I'll do for you Ponyboy. I'm just going to give you an "F."

The others laughed. This was what he was doomed to endure on a day to day bases for being a smart greaser in a room, full of soces.

Ponyboy took his paper back, and started to grade it as he tried hard not to look at the giant red "F" printed on it.

The teacher clasped her hands together loudly to get the class's attention. "Class, please tell me the grade that you made on last night's homework." She began reading off a list of names from the attendance sheet. "Ponyboy Curtis," she called.

"Um…I'm still grading it," he answered numbly. He tried to work quicker knowing that the class was waiting. Finally, he was finished. "75," he answered. He had made a 75 on his homework. Ponyboy slumped down a little in his seat. He felt miserable.

Add this to Friday's test that he had failed and had to get signed and Darry would surely kill him.

The walk home that afternoon had never seen so short. Ponyboy's mind was racing. Maybe he could forge his brother's signature, but Ponyboy's penmanship was completely different. Surely his teacher would notice. Ponyboy thought again.

Steve had been jailed once for selling false documents with forged signatures. He had done the signatures himself, and he might be able to help. No, Pony shook his head. That wouldn't work. Steve would love nothing better than to get Pony creamed by Darry.

Maybe he could pretend that he forgot. That was an even worse idea. They'd call Darry and then he would be in even worse trouble than he was now.

"Deep in thought," Sodapop asked after Ponyboy had stood inside the front doorway of the house for several moments unmoving and silent.

"Where's Darry?" Pony asked.

"He's still at work. Why?"

Ponyboy showed him his math test and homework. "Darry's going to be really mad," he said. "I forgot to ask him to check over my work."

"Ponyboy! An "F"?

"It's not really an "F" Soda," Pony pleaded. "It's really a "C."

"Barely," Sodapop replied firmly.

Ponyboy began to explain what had happened very quickly. He ended it by explaining that he would be allowed to make up the test and correct his homework, but only to a "C."

"Did you tell your teacher?" Soda asked after his baby brother had finished.

"Yes, I did."

"What did she say?"

"She said 'Ok. I'll take that into consideration."

Soda gave Ponyboy a puzzling look. "What does that mean?" he asked.

"It means that she's not going to do anything about it," a deep voice said from behind them.

Both brothers jumped at the sound of Darry's voice. Neither of them had noticed him come in from work.

"You're home early," were the first words out of Ponyboy's mouth.

"Hello to you to," Darry said.

"How long have you been standing there?" Soda asked a little timidly.

"Long enough to hear Pony's story. Did you know about this?" he asked turning towards Sodapop.

"No, no. I'm innocent," Soda exclaimed.

Darry looked at him straight in the eye. He studied his brother with a hard glare for a while. Soda stared back, and Darry nodded knowing that his brother was telling him the truth.

Sodapop felt relieved. It was a good thing he hadn't known about Ponyboy's trouble in Math. He couldn't lie to Darry. Darry could read through him like an eye exam.

"Ponyboy, get your test for me. I'll sign it right now. You're grounded for the weekend. Nothing but studding, homework, and correcting your Math."

"Will you help me?" Pony asked in a small voice.

Darry nodded. "We'll start on it tonight. Soda, you can make dinner tonight, and try to make something as close to normal as possible," Darry stated.

"Normal is vastly overrated," Sodapop replied cheerfully.

Ponyboy stared at him. "Wow, when did you learn such a big word like 'vastly'?" Pony teased.

"He can sometimes be smarter than he looks," Darry replied handing Ponyboy back his signed test.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter # 2: Fixing it

AN: Thanks to everyone who added me to your story favorites, author favorites, story alerts, and author alerts. A special thanks goes out to all that reviewed.

"If you can't get your grade up Ponyboy, you'll be dropped from the track team." Darry warned as the two sat at the kitchen table correcting Ponyboy's work.

"I know," Ponyboy said.

"You're a good runner. I wouldn't want that to happen."

"I know," Ponyboy said.

It was late, almost two o'clock in the morning now. The two had been at it for hours.

Darry carefully explained each step in the problem and made sure Ponyboy understood what to do before he moved on.

Soda had passed out on the couch over an hour ago, and began to snore. Darry looked up from the table because his snoring was getting pretty loud.

"Does he always snore like that?" Darry asked.

"Every night," Ponyboy answered. "At least he stops long enough to wake me up from my nightmares."

"Speaking of nightmares, I have to have a conference with your teacher next week because of how poorly you've been doing in her class." Darry informed his baby brother.

This surprised Ponyboy. He didn't know why. After all, he was in a class full of smart, rich kids, and the teacher herself was probably even a soc. That was his guess at least.

"I just thought that you should know," Darry continued. "Is there anything that you want me to tell her?"

Sure there was something Ponyboy wanted to say. There were a lot of things he wanted to say, but didn't. Darry might ground him for the entire week if Ponyboy voiced his ugly thoughts.

"No," he said instead.

One more problem to go," was all that Darry said.

They got through it together in less than five minutes. After that Ponyboy gathered up all of his papers, and put them away in his folder. Then the two looked over at the sleeping Sodapop.

"Should we wake him up?" asked Darry.

Ponyboy nodded, and the two went for a flying leap onto the couch startling the snot out of their middle brother.

"It's time to go to sleep," Ponyboy told him.

"That's funny. I thought I was already asleep," Sodapop said dryly.

"Well we just can't let you lay there, and take up space. Someone might need the couch," Darry said. "It's supposed to rain tonight."

"It already is," said a soaking wet Steve standing in the doorway. "My old man kicked me out again, so I headed on over hear. Is that ok?"

The three Curtis brothers nodded in unison.

"Man, the guy sure picks the worst nights to get angry and drunk," Steve said with a sigh.

"Take a load off Steve," Sodapop said. "I'll get ya some dry close to put on just as soon as I put 'Baby' here to bed."

"Who you calling 'Baby," Pony yelled as he playfully punched Soda.

Darry and Steve watched the two fight all the way down the hall to their room.

"He's in a pretty good mood considering what's been happening a school," Steve blurted out without even thinking.

"You knew he was having trouble in Math?" Darry questioned.

"Math? Oh, yeah…Math…right." Steve looked down. The cat was out of the bag now. There was no way that Darry was buying this.

"Steve," Darry said firmly as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell me what you know."

"Um… I think…maybe…that…um…Ponyboy's already told you. Yeah, he has…about the Math and stuff."

Darry was skeptical, and Steve was making a real fool of himself trying to cover up for Ponyboy. Darry wondered why that was. He didn't care for the least about his baby brother. Maybe Soda knew.

"Night Steve," Darry said as he walked away towards his room. He made a mental note to either ask Sodapop in the morning, or put the beat down on Steve. Something was going on, and Darry needed to know what it was before the conference with Pony's teacher the following week.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter # 3: What Steve Knew

The house was silent as mouse now that everyone was finally asleep. Steve and Darry had sat down at the kitchen table, and Steve had spilled his guts before Darry could think to carry out his threat to beat Steve into a bloody pulp.

Steve told him how all the boys on the freshman track team had stolen minimal things from their coach in order to prove themselves to the varsity team members. Ponyboy had decided not to partake in it. Now he was being singled out as a wuss because of it. One of the guys was in Pony's Math class, and he unparticular had been giving the kid a really hard time about his decision.

Steve went on and on, telling Darry how Ponyboy was being bullied, but there wasn't much he or any of them could do because Ponyboy was in a soc class.

"So that's why he's been doing so bad in that one class." Darry didn't know what to think. He felt bad for his little brother, but felt proud of him at the same time.

Ponyboy had been under quite some pressure from all his teammates on the track team, and yet he had risen above it. He had shown that he was stronger than that pressure.

Darry could still remember when he had been on the football team, and they made the freshman team do their laundry. It had all been in good fun, but this was completely different.

It was now only three hours until Darry had to go to work. At least he could sleep peacefully knowing that Ponyboy would never do something so deceptive and risky as stealing.

Darry had felt like there was something the kid was hiding. He wasn't sure why Ponyboy couldn't tell him about it. Darry decided that he'd ask his brother about it tomorrow after he got off work. Ponyboy wasn't known for being a morning person, and it was doubtful he'd be up before Darry left.

AN: Sorry it's so short. It just felt like a good stopping place, for now that is. Thanks again to all those that reviewed. Reviews make me happy.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter # 4: Darry's Thoughts

Roofing was hard, working day after day under the hot sun and sweltering weather, but it was just right for Darry to work out all his anguish feelings about his current relationship with his baby brother.

Darry was no longer just the eldest brother of the three, he was the authority that his brothers sometimes didn't like. A spitting image of his father, Darryl Shane Curtis Junior was as strict with Ponyboy as his mother had been, and with Sodapop when the teenage greaser needed it.

Darry missed being just the older brother, but he knew all too well that those days were gone, and the words of the state case workers were forever ringing loud and clear in his ears. That was why he was always on Pony's case to get straight A's, study hard, clean the house, and keep his dirty close picked up out of the floor. Of course now that he thought about it, Sodapop was more likely to be the one leaving his dirty close all over the place.

Darry knew it was hard for all of them to get used to him being in charge, especially for Ponyboy. Their relationship was beyond strained ever sense the first time Darry had to remind the kid that he was the boss.

Ponyboy had come home with a C in Science on his three weeks progress report, so Darry had told him that he couldn't go to the movies that weekend. Ponyboy had gone anyway only to be ratted at by Steve. Darry had then grounded Ponyboy for a week with the treat of more if he didn't do what Darry told him to. Then, when Steve once again ratted Ponyboy out for disobeying him, Darry increased the punishment as he had threatened.

That was another problem Darry had long sense been very aware of. He didn't think Steve was snitching on Pony because he cared about him and wanted to keep his brother safe. Steve and Pony were worse than cats and dogs. They just didn't dig one another. They never had and might not ever. Only Sodapop seemed oblivious to the fact that his brother and best friend didn't get along.

Soda. Darry knew that their middle brother often played just that, the one in the middle. He was the tiebreaker. While wild and reckless like their old man, Sodapop was growing up. He would be seventeen soon. Soda worked hard at the DX to help Darry out with bills and things. He might have quite school because he was failing, but he was doing all right.

The only problem Darry could see was that Steve planed to graduate high school. That would open up more doors for him even if he weren't college material by any stretch of the imagination. What would happen then? Would he be forced to leave Soda behind while he moved up? His happy-go-lucky brother seemed to think that they would be together forever.

"Pay attention Curtis. We need ya up here," Dan, another of the roofers said after hearing Darry's use of foul language after he hit his thumb with the hammer. "Got stuff on your mind?" he asked.

"Yeah," Darry replied.

"Is it your brothers? You're not gonna loose one of them are you?"

"No, nothing like that. I mean I don't think it is."

Darry sighed heavily. Dan had been a big help and good friend through everything that had happened. He listened and tried to give advice, encouragement, or comfort where it was needed.

When Darry felt bad about having to punish one of his brothers, usually Ponyboy, Dan understood. When Darry felt that he was at the end of his rope or going under, Dan empathized. When Darry was over exhausted with worry, Dan offered a shoulder.

Dan had a baby brother of his own to take care of. His brother possessed a mental disorder, which Dan had admitted could cause some strain in his relationship with his wife and children.

"Ponyboy's been having some trouble in school," Darry told Dan.

"Is that all?"

"No. He normally makes straight A's. He's in all the smart classes."

"Like you were?" Dan asked.

Darry nodded. "Then all of a sudden he comes home with a test for me to sign because he'd failed. He's been having some trouble in his other classes too. It's unusual for him, and if it keeps on the state might get involved again."

"Gee Darry you're gonna grow old before your time," Dan sighed. "Do you really expect someone from the state to barge in every time something happens?"

"They might," Darry admitted. "I've nearly lost his once already."

"That was not your fault that someone wanted to harm him, and I have hit my brother before too. Only he didn't do anything to deserve it. I had just gotten frustrated with him, and will forever regret what I did."

"One of our friends told me that there was a lot of stuff going on at school that's causing Ponyboy to have trouble with his work. I have a conference with his teacher in a couple of days. I'm glad he told me because Ponyboy sure wasn't going to. I plan to talk to him about it when I get home tonight."

AN: Please read and review. I decided to put in this chapter because I don't think many people understand what things are like from Darry's prospective.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter # 5: Talking to Ponyboy

AN: Thanks again to all of you who reviewed and added me to your favorites and alerts. It makes me feel special.

The TV was immediately turned off when Darry entered the house. Darry didn't get the chance to see what it was, but had a good guess by the way four smiling faces looked up at him a little too happily. Because he had bigger things to take care of, Darry let it slide this time.

"Two-Bit, I believe you have your own house to bum around. Why don't you get." Darry insisted.

"Bye guys. Sorry I can't stick around, but I know it's time to leave when the old man here starts to get grouchy," Two-Bit said as he leaped out the front door.

"Steve, you staying?"

"No, not tonight." Steve said. He shuffled out the door quickly.

"Alright Baby, let's talk," Darry began as he took Steve's empty Spot on the couch.

"Two-Bit was the one that brought the movie," Ponyboy blurted out. "I read through most of it, really!"

So Darry had been right about the movie that they were so eager for him not to see. Well, he'd have to take care of that later as he already knew.

"I'm not talking about the movie, Ponyboy. We'll discuss that one later. That means you too Sodapop. I'm talking about what's been going on at school."

"We already did. You signed my test and all of my work is corrected. I'm grounded for the weekend."

"I'm glad you remember you're grounded this time," Soda mumbled.

He was referring to a few months ago when Ponyboy actually forgot that he was grounded. Sodapop, being a good brother, tried his best to stall and cover for him. It hadn't worked. They couldn't fool Darry. Everything they pulled, Darry caught. That's why it was sometimes hard growing up after him.

"I think you know what I mean, Pony," Darry said.

Ponyboy just looked at him blankly. Then he got up from the couch to get away from his brothers, but Darry caught him by the arm.

"Hey, talk to me."

"I can't."

"Why can't ya?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

"Come on Baby, we've always been able to talk," Soda begged.

"There's nothing to talk about," Ponyboy replied. "I got a bad grade on my test and that's it."

"So there's nothing going on with track, or the soces in your classes, or…"

Ponyboy's eyes widened. He gulped. "Who told you?" he asked in a small voice.

"It's not important," Darry said.

"I bet it was Steve." Ponyboy insisted. "Man, he's always ratting me out. Why can't he just keep his trap shut and mind his own business for once."

"Ponyboy, that's not true," Soda protested firmly.

"So it was Steve."

"Maybe, maybe not."

"What did he say?"

"That doesn't matter. I want to hear it from you," Darry said.

"Why? Steve already told you."

"Pony," Soda warned. Getting smart with Darry was never a good idea.

"Alright, if that's the way you want it." Darry was tired of dancing around the situation with his younger brother. "Steve said that your team mates in track were caught stealing."

"I-I didn't steal anything, Darry!"

"So does this mean you're willing to talk now?"

Ponyboy barely managed to nod his head as he felt the tears of humiliation spill out without his control to stop them.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter # 6: Ponyboy's Confessions

AN: I later learned that this was a form of bullying, but I didn't understand that at the time. I just wondered why everyone hated me so much.

Ponyboy always felt weak and stupid when he cried in front of Darry, but he couldn't help it. Through his sudden mad rush of tears, Ponyboy told his side of the story.

He explained about the socs who were his classmates, and why he was doing so poorly. Ponyboy told them about how his teacher got on to him when they had to do group work because none of the socs wanted a greasy hood working with them.

When they traded papers to grade the socs thought it was funny just to give Pony an "F" and call it a day. The teacher seemed to have a habit of turning the other cheek. Either she pretended to not take notice or she didn't care.

"I bet that lousy teacher is a big time soc herself," said Sodapop.

"She told the whole class that I was dumb and crazy. They all laughed at me. None of the gang's in that class, so there's really nothing any of them can do," Ponyboy said solemnly.

Ponyboy felt completely miserable as he recalled all the events that had occurred. He told his brothers about the track team stealing from the coaches.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Darry asked.

"Why didn't you tell me," Soda exclaimed.

Darry knew that most of the kids in sports were socs. It was the same when he played football. Things hadn't changed. The socs were seen as the good kids, and the greasers were seen as the hoods destined for nothing other than a home in prison or back on the streets where they came from.

The kids that were stealing would get a lecture maybe and then the entire incident would be forgotten. They were just great kids getting into some mischief, but for Ponyboy, it would have been very different.

If Pony hadn't thought better, the three of them could now be facing another court hearing. He might have even been sent to a reformatory like Curly Shepherd. Ponyboy would have been suspended or even expelled. He could have said bye-bye to collage and everything else he had worked so hard toward.

Darry felt very proud of his baby brother who snuggled close against Sodapop.

"I didn't steal anything," Ponyboy said looking straight at Darry. "I've never stolen anything before, except for that black crayon when I was little. I didn't really mean to steal it, I just forgot that I had it in my hand. I took it back to the crayon basket the very next day and…"

Ponyboy stopped. Both of his older brothers were laughing so hard they struggled to stay on the couch.

"What's so funny?" Ponyboy asked.

"You're such a bad hood, Ponyboy Curtis," Sodapop said still laughing, "you took a crayon."

"I didn't mean too," Ponyboy cried in defense.

"Ponyboy, we're not talking about a crayon," Darry said trying to calm down. How innocent Ponyboy seemed sometimes, especially for living in the neighborhood that they did.

"I'm just trying to tell you that I didn't steal anything from the coaches, or the school. I know what it would mean for me being a greaser and all if I was caught doing something like that. Please Darry, you have to believe me," Ponyboy pleaded.

"I do believe you," Darry said.

"I didn't want to tell you because I thought you'd be mad," Pony admitted.

"We're proud of you for not putting yourself or our family in jeopardy," Sodapop admitted.

"Ponyboy, I wanted to have your take on this before I spoke with your teacher. She's not one that either Soda or I had. She doesn't know us, and may be treating you unfairly. It is not right for a teacher to give you poor grades just because she thinks you will never amount to anything, which you will. It's also not right for her to let the other students give you poor grades."

"I looked at your papers," Sodapop informed Ponyboy. "It looks like there was a lot of erasing and rewriting done, and not all of it was in the same form of handwriting. I should know. That's how I got by in school."

Ponyboy looked at Darry who nodded in response. "It's true. I did most of his work for him, and Soda had to do all my chores in return. I call that a fair-trade. It was working great until Dad caught us."

His interest was peaked. "What happened then?" Pony asked.

"We both got extra chores for a month," Soda said.

"You're one to talk, Sodapop. I was the one that got sentenced to cleaning the bathroom," Darry commented.

Now it was Ponyboy's turn to laugh as his two older brothers started to wrestle with each other. Sodapop grabbed Pony's feet, and started tickling them and causing Ponyboy to squeal. He knew it wouldn't last long, though because Darry could take both of them easily.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter # 7: Teacher Conference

NA: Happy Valentine's Day everyone. I wish this was how it really worked out for me in school. Be sure to check out my other stories please. I have new ones up.

Darry met with Ponyboy's Math teacher, Mrs. Davis, that Tuesday, and to his surprise the principal, Mr. White, was present.

"Nice to see you again, Darrel," said Mr. White. The men shook hands. "I decided to join the two of you at the conference today. I know you were one of our top leading students when you were here, and from what I've gathered, Ponyboy's pretty much the same.

The woman sitting next to him introduced herself.

"Let me get right to the point," Mrs. Davis insisted. "Over the past view weeks Ponyboy has become increasingly problematic. He has had numerous complaints about the other students. They are all straight 'A' students with the highest achieving honors, and I think it has come time to put an end to Ponyboy blaming them for his poor performance," Mrs. Davis informed them coldly.

"As a matter of fact, Ponyboy has talked…" Darry began, but was cut short by Mrs. Davis.

"I teach only the smartest group of kids in the school, and despite his meager appearance I expect him to do excellent work as the other students do. Knowing my students the way I do I figured it must be a home problem."

Darry struggled to keep himself in check. He felt that the teacher had no rite to insult his family, but luckily, Mr. White decided to take it from there.

"His track coach has nothing but high praises for him. His Art and English teachers do too. Mrs. Davis has given me a copy of Ponyboy's most recent progress, and I must say that it baffles me. He's always done fine, and then it's as if overnight everything changes.

"Now, I don't make a habit of sticking my nose where it doesn't belong, but this is not the norm we find in our students. Have you talked to Ponyboy? Is there something going on at home? What is his usual routine?"

Mr. White fired question after question which Darry tried his best to answer without reviling too much of their home situation.

"Ponyboy knows that when he gets home he's expected to do his homework and chores first thing," Darry said.

"How does he get home," Mr. White asked. "Do you pick him up, or does Sodapop?"

"I usually pick him up if he stays after for track practice or something like that. I'm off work by then."

Darry noticed how Mr. White appeared to be listening attentively, while Mrs. Davis just scowled.

"Otherwise, he gets a ride with Steve or Two-Bit," Darry continued.

"They're students here," Mr. White questioned.

"Yes," Darry replied.

Mr. White shuffled through a stack of papers that were laid out in front of him.

"What are their relations to Ponyboy?"

"Steve works at the DX with Sodapop, and I'm not sure what to tell you about Two-Bit. He just hangs around," Darry said.

"Well, everyone's heard about that hood," Mrs. Davis scuffed. "I can't believe he's been allowed to stay in school at his age. What is he now, twenty?"

"Eighteen," said Darry.

"Mrs. Davis, the current situations and ages of the students here are not your concern. I'd appreciate if you kept your business to those in your classes only," Mr. White suggested to her firmly.

"If anything happens with Ponyboy, Two-Bit's my eyes and ears. He knows how to reach me or Sodapop if it's urgent," Darry said.

"I didn't know that Sodapop was already eighteen," Mr. White expressed his surprise.

"He's not. He's sixteen, but he'll be able to get in touch with me wherever I am. Not everybody can, so that's when they contact him," Darry explained.

"Did you ever hear of anything that might be causing him some trouble in school," Mr. White promoted.

"I don't think that's important," Mrs. Davis interjected once again. "We do not do this for our other students."

"Yes we have Mrs. Davis, and I think you kindly to let me be the principal." Mr. White's deep voice boomed.

He motioned for Darry to continue. Darry relayed everything that had happened to him in Mrs. Davis class that Ponyboy had told him. Darry mentioned how they had corrected all his work, and that he usually checked over all over Ponyboy's homework before he turned it in anyway.

As Darry talked, trying his best to act like an authoritative figure, the deep from on Mr. White's face began to increase more and more. At the same time, Darry couldn't be exactly sure, but he thought he saw fear and protest flash over and over in Mrs. Davis eyes.

Finally, Mr. White cleared his throat and began to speak. "This is highly unusual, but I would like to place Ponyboy in another class for the remaining year. I understand that you may have some concerns there considering that midterms are almost here, but I think it might help solve the tangled dispute.

"I have always found you to be a man of your word Darrel Curtis, even when facing troubling consequences. Therefore, I think Ponyboy should do better in Mr. Lawman's class. It is also for smart students, as that is the only kind of students we teach at this school Mrs. Davis. Let us please speak in my office after the conference."

The two men stood up and shook hands.

"Is this arrangement fine with you," Mr. White asked Darry.

"Yes, thank you sir. I'll tell Ponyboy as soon as he gets home tonight."

"I was very sorry to hear about your folks, but I want to assure you that you're doing a fine job with both of your brothers."

Darry beamed. It was a great complement coming from a man who had grown up on the wrong side of the tracks with his father.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter # 8: Making Connections

That afternoon it rained. Darry and the rest of the construction crew packed up their tools and left for the day. This was why Darry was already home when an excited Ponyboy came bounding through the door.

His happiness soon deflated when he noticed that Darry was unexpectedly already home. He hadn't forgotten that Darry was speaking with his teacher today.

Darry didn't miss the startled look on his little brother's face. "Hey, Pony. Want some chocolate cake?" Darry asked trying to calm him down.

"W-why are you home early?" Ponyboy asked.

"Can't work in the rain," Darry replied. "Didn't you notice it?"

Ponyboy shrugged. It wasn't raining when he got out of school, and besides that, he had more important things on his mind. He just wasn't sure how to bring up the matter.

"I talked with your teacher today," Darry began seeing as how Ponyboy was struggling with curiosity. "Everything you told me, or should I say Steve told me, seem to be adding up."

"Do you think I would lie?" Pony asked.

"You mean like when you got drunk and blamed it on Steve?" Darry questioned back.

Ponyboy didn't have a reply to that. It was still a bad memory that stayed fresh in his mind.

_It had been just a few weeks after their parents had died. Darry had come down hard on him for something that neither of them could remember. _

_ Sulking around town mindlessly, Ponyboy had ended up at Buck's bar, a place everyone knew he wasn't supposed to be anywhere near. _

_ Steve had just so happened to walk in sometime latter to find a very drunk Ponyboy, and it didn't help things that Steve was drunk as well. The two had gotten into a fight, and been kicked out. _

_ Ponyboy had blamed Steve for him getting drunk, and Darry had ruffed Steve up a good bit. The mess only caused more strain on their already poor relationship. _

"The principle decided to join us," Darry said drawing Ponyboy back to the present. "You'll start in a different class tomorrow."

"Really? Who's?"

"Lawman's class."

"Do you know him?"

Darry nodded, and then bent down to look at Ponyboy straight in the eyes.

"Now I'm warning you Ponyboy, Lawman is a tough guy."

"So you had him as a teacher?" Ponyboy questioned.

"No, he's only a few years older than I am. I think he's maybe twenty-three."

"Then how do you know him?"

"He's a greaser, Ponyboy. He doesn't take no ... from nobody."

Darry stopped as he realized what he had just said in front of his baby brother. A broad smile was forming on his face.

"The two of us got into it a few years ago, big time too. You mess up with him Ponyboy, and he might decide to handle thinks on greaser turf. You understand?"

Ponyboy nodded. He understood all right, but there was one thing that was bothering him.

"Who won?" Pony asked Darry.

Darry gave him a look, but he couldn't help asking. As far as he knew, both of his brothers had big reps in their neighborhood, especially Darry. Even thugs who didn't know the Curtis brothers knew of them, and no one wanted to get on their bad side.

Darry didn't answer right away. "I don't think that's very important," he said.

"Come on Darry. Tell me. Please." Ponyboy begged.

"Ok. I ended up with a black eye, broken nose, and busted lip. The paramedics fixed me up before the cops came to take me to jail."

"Was that the night you didn't come home?" Ponyboy asked.

Darry was caught off guard by the question. He had never realized that Pony knew he was gone. Maybe that was possibly part of his nightmares too, and why he would sometimes find Ponyboy curled up next to him, not that he minded to lay the least.

Yeah, it was," Darry finally answered. "Dad was really mad. I guess he thought it would teach me a good lesson to spend the night there."

"Oh," was all Ponyboy said.

"I put Lawman in the hospital," Darry continued. "I broke a some ribs and knocked him unconscious. I gave him amnesia."

"Did he ever get his memory back?"

"I don't know. His real name is Jackson Winkles."

"Neither one of his last names helps him with being a greaser," Ponyboy commented.

"Lawman is the name he took when his mother remarried."

"Why are you telling me all this?" Ponyboy asked.

"I already told you," Darry started. "Don't mess around with this guy. Having a soc for a teacher is bad. When your teacher is a greaser, sometimes you'll pay for your mistakes a little more."

Ponyboy wasn't sure if he knew exactly what Darry meant, but he sure wasn't itching to find out.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter # 9: Meeting Mr. Lawman

The next day Ponyboy decided to arrive at his new math class a few minutes early so that he could get a feel for his teacher. Everything Darry had told him the evening before still rang clearly in his ears, and Ponyboy wanted to find out for himself.

The warning bell rang, and all the other students filed inside, followed by Mr. Lawman. As the students took their seats Mr. lawman walked to the center of the room to begin the day's lesson, but he stooped where he locked eyes with Ponyboy.

"Today we have a new student, transferred from another class, Ponyboy Curtis," Mr. Lawman said.

He looked straight at Pony once more. Ponyboy wasn't sure if it was a warning stare or possibly a challenge, but a sudden chill went through his body.

The time is Mr. Lawman's Math class passed quickly and smoothly. The dismissal bell rang sooner than Ponyboy had expected it to, and he had already managed to complete his homework for that night.

He got up to leave, but Mr. Lawman stopped him. "Sit down," he commanded. "We need to talk. It's important, and I can right you a pass for your next class."

Ponyboy retreated back to his desk, and seated himself. Mr. Lawman leaned against the one across from him, again giving Ponyboy a weird feeling inside.

"So, you Curtis's kid brother?" Mr. Lawman asked.

Ponyboy didn't answer right away. He wasn't really sure how to answer. Was it a trap? Mr. Lawman had been making him nervous the entire time he had been in his class. Ponyboy knew that Mr. Lawman was waiting for a reply, and the change in his face showed that he was growing impatient. Finally, Ponyboy decided what to do. He would answer in a way that would break the ice.

"You mean Sodapop?" Ponyboy asked.

Mr. Lawman frowned. Obviously Ponyboy's icebreaker idea didn't go over as well as he had hoped.

"Darry didn't mention anything about me, hugh?"

"Maybe a little," Ponyboy admitted in a quite voice.

"Look, that was a long time ago, but I gotta admit, that brother of yours in a pretty good fight. I might have beaten him if I had had a blade on me that night. I socked it to him, but Darry put me in the hospital."

"I know."

"I just want you to know where we stand. I've heard why you transferred to my class. I'm a far cry from the hood I was a few years ago when your brother and I fought, a past which I rather no one knew about."

"I'm not gonna tell anyone. Why would I do that? I'm not anything," Ponyboy replied.

"You won't always be," said Mr. Lawman with a smile. "All I'm saying is that I'm warning you know that you better not cause any trouble in my class. I've talked to your other teachers, and they haven't had anything bad to say, but if you do, then theirs nothing Darry will be able to do to save you. Do you understand?"

Ponyboy nodded. Mr. Lawman handed him a pass and dismissed him from the room. He walked down the hall confused and a little scared. He'd see Johnny and Two-Bit a little bit latter. Maybe he'd ask them about it.

AN: Sorry it's so short, but I got a lot of requests for a quick update from those that took the time to review. Thanks guys.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter # 10: The Ride Home

When the bell rang that afternoon, Ponyboy ran to catch a ride. Two-Bit had threatened to leave with out him if he had to wait to long. Ponyboy had forgotten his Math book the day fore, and he had to go back for his Science notes the day before that. Two-Bit was fed up. He didn't like to wait. He wanted to get as far away from school as possible, and as quickly as he could.

"I'm here!" Ponyboy shouted as he dashed out to the parking lot from the back f the school building.

Two-Bit and Steve looked up to see a sprinting Ponyboy leap from the curb, barley missing getting run over by the girl on the bicycle.

"Watch out, Greaser!" she yelled.

A wide grin spread across Steve's face. Ponyboy had never liked this grin. It never meant anything good for him.

"Our little Pony is growing up, Two-Bit," Steve said as he pretended to wipe tears from his eyes. "He's starting to get attention from girls now."

"Blond girls," Two-Bit responded.

"Blond Soc girls," Steve said. "They grow up so fast," Steve pouted. "Wait till Soda here's about this!"

Ponyboy shoved him aside. He opened the car door to find Johnny fast asleep in the backseat.

"Move him over and get in," Steve snapped. "You're gonna make me late for work."

Ponyboy did as he was told without saying a word. He wondered why Johnny was sleeping so much lately. He had fallen asleep three times in class yesterday, and had refused to wake up when Ponyboy nudged him.

In their English class, Mrs. Parker sprayed students with cold water if they went to sleep. That woke Johnny up.

Ponyboy didn't even want to think about what would happen if he fell asleep in class. The Soc who sat next to his would probably tie his shoe laces together. His teacher would probably smack his hand with a ruler. They might even call Darry, and then he'd be in big trouble for sure.

Sodapop had teased him about snoring once. "At least I know you're sleeping good," he had said. "It's a small price to pay to know that you won't start screaming from a nightmare even time soon."

Ponyboy had never had the heart to set Soda straight. He was the one who was snoring all the time. Darry had even come into the room in the middle of the night once to try to get him to stop.

"Hey Pony, what ya thinking about?" Two-Bit asked, interrupting Pony's thoughts.

"What?" Ponyboy was startled. "Oh, nothing," Ponyboy said.

"For a guy who thinks about nothing, you sure zone out a lot," Steve commented. "What gives, kid?"

"I was just thinking about my new teacher, Mr. Lawman. I got transferred to a new class today."

"So that's why you weren't there today," as a light bulb came on somewhere inside Two-Bit's head. "You really left us in a bind. Now Steve and I can't cheat of your paper."

"You weren't in that class," Pony protested.

"Oh, right. I guess I forgot," Two-Bit said with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"What's up?" Ponyboy asked, though he really wasn't sure if he wanted to know.

"Guess what little Pony, Two-Bit, Johnny, and I are all transferring into your class tomorrow," Steve smirked. "It's some new education program thing."

"Now we can cheat of your paper again," said Two-Bit.

"Or you could try to do it yourself, and quit being such a lazy bum," Johnny yawned as he stretched from just waking up.

Two-Bit acted as if he had just been insulted. "Now what would be the fun in that?"

Nothing good can come of this," Ponyboy thought.

AN: Please leave a review. It's always appreciated. You can even tell me what you guess is going to happen.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter # 11: Nothing but Trouble

It took a lot of prompting from Sodapop, and a threat from Darry for Ponyboy to finally get out of bed the next morning.

He really didn't feel like facing the day ahead of him. Ponyboy wondered if Two-Bit had just been joking with him about all of them being in class with him. You could never tell about Two-Bit. Well, he was sure to find out that day.

Like clockwork, as soon as the bell rang to begin fifth period Math, Two-Bit and Steve straggled into the classroom behind a quiet Johnny.

Johnny took an empty seat next to Ponyboy as Mr. Lawman checked his attendance sheet for their names. He didn't say anything or try to draw any attention to himself. Ponyboy wondered why Two-Bit couldn't be like that.

Two-Bit took a seat behind Ponyboy, and Steve sat behind Johnny. That's when the trouble began.

"Hey Pony, I forgot to do last night's homework," Two-Bit whispered behind the younger greaser. "Give me yours so I can copy down the answers real quick."

"You never do your homework, or anything else," Ponyboy whispered back.

"So I thought I might start."

"No," Ponyboy replied.

"C'mon, Pony. Not even for your bet buddy. I'll introduce you to this really hot blond."

"I said 'NO."

"Is there a problem, Mr. Curtis?" Mr. Lawman asked in a stern stone. He had stopped class, and everyone had turned to their attention to them. Two-Bit waved at them with a silly grin on plastered on his face, and Pony felt mortified.

"No sir," Ponyboy answered.

"Wow! Listen to how polite he is."

"Knock it off Two-Bit," Steve hissed across from him. "If you get Ponyboy in trouble Darry will skin him first, and then he'll do the same to you."

"Class, please turn in your books to pages 157 and 158," Mr. Lawman instructed. The sounds of pages flipping could be heard throughout the quiet room. Two-Bit did the same. Picking up the book, he fumbled through the pages until he came to the right ones, and then with a loud thud, Two-Bit dropped the book on top of his desk causing both Ponyboy and Johnny to jump.

Mr. Lawman stopped scribbling down numbers and equations on the black board. Without a word he walked down the isles to where the four greasers were seated.

"Mr. Mathews, hold out your hand," he ordered.

With a questioning and confused look, Two-Bit did what he was told. Ponyboy thought it was probably the first time he had ever seen Two-Bit do something a teacher asked him to.

"Why?" Two-Bit asked. "Are you gonna give me money? I could really use some. I have this kid sister, and she might get pregnant by her boyfriend because she…"

"WHACK!"

Mr. Lawman slapped the ruler down on Two-Bit's outstretched hand. Two-Bit looked shocked, and for once in a very rare moment he was speechless.

"My students are here to learn," Mr. Lawman began in a stern voice. "This class is not a playground. I suggest that you stop pestering Mr. Curtis, and attend to the assigned task. If you are incapable of reading the board, then I will tell you know that the assignment is due when the bell rings."

Normally Ponyboy would have been almost finished, but because of Two-Bit he was just a little more than half way through with his work. He kept his head down and tried to hurry as best he could without making to many careless mistakes as Mr. Lawman walked past him back to the front of the room.

The ringing of the bell had never sounded so sweet. Ponyboy quickly gathered his things, and turned in his completed work on the way out. He walked as fast as he could, wanting to get away from Two-Bit as soon as possible.

Ponyboy felt very thankful that his last period was track. Athletics was something that only he and Darry took seriously. The rest of the gang gave their support, but none of them really understood the importance of it.

Ponyboy walked into the locker room. He put away his stuff and started to change clothes. That's when his day went from a little aggravating to down right annoying.

"Hey Pony, you'll never…whoa." Ponyboy looked up from where he was sitting on the bench near his locker, tying his shoes. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Steve, Two-Bit, and Johnny were standing right there in front of him. They were there again. Ponyboy was confused. How could that be? Then he remembered that when he had transferred into Mr. Lawman's class, his schedule had changed. That meant that their schedules had changed too. Still, they weren't in track.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Shoot kid, we go to this awful place you call a school too you now," Two-Bit stated the obvious.

"Don't say that man, the kid loves school. It was like made for him or something," Steve commented.

Ponyboy was taken aback. Steve had tried to pry Two-Bit off his back in Mr. Lawman's class, yet he was making fun of him now.

"We have gym now for sixth period. Schedule change," Johnny informed him.

Just then the coach marched in looking not all that happy.

"Curtis, you're two minutes late. Everyone else in waiting on you. Now get out there, and give me ten laps," he yelled.

"Sorry Ponyboy," Johnny said in a quiet voice.

"Yes sir," was all that Pony said as he turned to follow his track coach out the door he. He turned his head back around just before the door closed to glare at Steve and Two-Bit.

"Wow! The kid can just about match Darry with that mean look," Two-Bit said.

AN: A special chapter by request to update soon. Sorry it took so long before, but work gets in the way you know. Please review. Oh, and I want to thank all my readers who have added me to their favorites and alerts. Thank you very much.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter # 12: Tattle Tale

Darry got to hear an entire ear full when he picked up his baby brother that afternoon from track practice. He didn't mind. Ponyboy almost never opened up to him like he was at that moment.

"I'll have a talk with Two-Bit," Darry said after Ponyboy slowed down enough for Darry to get in a word every now and then. "Did he smack you with the ruler?"

"No," Pony said. Then he started telling Darry about last period. "I had to run ten laps for being two minutes late."

"Don't be late and you won't have to run extra laps," Darry replied. "You run all the time anyway Ponyboy. It's not like you had to do anything real hard."

Soda was cooking supper when they walked through the front door. Steve, Two-Bit, and Johnny were sitting at the kitchen table playing poker.

"Hey Pony; I washed your track clothes. Their laying on the chair there. I didn't know if you'd need them for tomorrow, or not."

Two-Bit couldn't resist getting under the youngest greaser's skin another time that day. He got up from the table and walked over to the chair where he picked up Pony's clean jockstrap. He held it up as if showing the world.

"I didn't know you wore such a small size Ponyboy," Two-Bit said.

"You sure you wanna be touching those," Steve commented with a slight snicker. He stopped when he saw Soda scowling at him. Darry was giving them a look too.

Ponyboy could feel his ears turn read, and he knew was probably blushing slightly.

"Go put your stuff away Ponyboy," Darry said.

"I might need to wash it again," aid Sodapop," you never know where Two-Bit's been."

"Stop it! All of you!" Darry's voice was firm, and it was quieter at that moment than it had ever been in the Curtis house. "If you want to screw up your own lives that's your choice, but leave Ponyboy out of it."

"I guess he heard about today," Two-Bit whispered to Steve.

"Yeah, I heard about it Two-Bit. I guess that smack from the ruler didn't teach you anything. You get Pony in trouble; you're in trouble…with me. Is that simple enough for you to understand?"

Two-Bit gulped, then nodded. He hadn't realized his joking around would have caused such hard feelings, and Darry's bad side was something no one in their right mind wanted to be on.

After supper, Two-Bit went with Sodapop and Steve to the races. Johnny remained behind so that Darry could work with him and Pony with their math homework.

Johnny was starting to do pretty well in his classes now that he was receiving some help from Pony and Darry.

It was several hours later when the three greasers returned. Johnny was asleep on the couch. It seemed like the Curtis house was the only place where he could actually sleep well without having to worry about waking up in harm's way. It was as if he knew that he was surrounded by members of the gang who would protect him.

Darry was sitting at the table deciding which bills to take care of first, and Ponyboy had just stepped out of the shower still rapped up in a towel. He froze when he realized he was standing in front of the gang with nothing on but his wet towel. His face was flushed.

"You know kid, there's these thing called clothes that are getting to be popular right no," said Steve.

Ponyboy didn't respond. The gang had never seen him in a towel before, and only his brothers had ever seen him completely necked. Well, his parents had too, at some time, but that was hard enough. He didn't think he looked as good as either Darry or Sodapop. He wasn't as big or built either.

"How do you get dressed in the locker room at school if you're embarrassed for your own brother to see you, Ponyboy?" Soda asked him.

"He's just wishes he had a chance to get all dolled up before we came in," Two-Bit teased.

"You two beat it," Darry yelled from the kitchen when he heard what was going on.

"No need to snap Superman," said Two-Bit. "We're going."

"See ya tomorrow Soda," Steve called as he and Two-Bit headed out the door.

"Man, the kid sure is a little tattle tale," Steve said once they had gone a little ways from the house. "I thought kids grew out of that in the sixth grade," he continued.

"He sure has been sensitive lately," Two-Bit agreed. "I've always given him a hard time. I never mean anything by it."

"Yeah, but it's never caused problems for Ponyboy in school before either," Steve reminded him.

"So that's why Darry wigged out on me so much this time," said Two-Bit in a shocked voice.

Steve shook his head in disbelief. "Man, sometimes you sure act as dumb as the blonds you date, Two-Bit," Steve said.

"Just what's that supposed to mean?" Two-Bit demanded mockingly.

"It means that just because you're a dumb blond, it doesn't mean you have to always act like one," said a voice from behind them.

They both turned around. "Dally!" Steve shouted first. "You're out man."

"Yeah. My good behavior never keeps me their long. So what have I been missing?"

"We've all been transferred into Ponyboy's class," Two-Bit told him.

"Even you," Steve said. He told Dally the whole story.

"The kid's been ratting you out," Dally said when Steve had finished. "Guess I don't have to worry. I never go to school if I can help it."

"There's one more thing. The new teacher, he's a greaser."

Dally's eyes widened. "A greaser ya say; is teaching school?"

"Yeah, and he knows about the gang somehow. He got in a fight with Darry some years ago, and Pony's scared out of his mind that we'll get him in trouble or something."

"Pony may have a point," Dally mumbled.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter # 13: How Two-Bit Blew Up the Chemistry Lab

Ponyboy was more high-strung than an ex-racehorse the following week at school. Two-Bit, Steve, and Johnny were now in most of his classes. It was driving him crazy.

Ponyboy had never had much of a liking for Chemistry, but it was a least one class he knew Two-Bit was to dumb to be put into. Ponyboy was starting to change his mind even about how he felt about the class until one morning Mrs. Kelly announced that they were going to do a midterm project by teaming up with a lower level class.

That was when the door opened, and in walked Steve, Johnny, and Two-Bit along with a bunch of other greaser misfits. Ponyboy wondered desperately why they had to now be invading this class too.

"May I have your attention class," Mrs. Kelly sang out. "We will be working in groups of four. I would like to have two students from my class work with two students from Mrs. James class. Each group will be handed a topic and related subtopics to research and experiment. You may have to spend time outside of school in order to have enough efficient time to complete this project. I suggest everyone do their very best. It will be worth a big portion of your final grade. Now we have more students from Mrs. James class than mine, so one group will be uneven."

That was how on that day Ponyboy became lab partners with Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve.

"This works out great because we already spend so much time with you anyways, Pony," Two-Bit said.

"That's just what I need," Ponyboy retorted.

Mrs. Kelly chose that moment to walk by and hand the four boys their topic for their midterm project.

"Thank you again Ponyboy for being the uneven group. There are not many students here who would work alone with…um…less intelligent persons," Mrs. Kelly finished in a whisper.

Less intelligent persons?" Two-Bit repeated after Mrs. Kelly had moved on.

"Yeah. That would mean you Two-Bit," Steve snapped.

Ponyboy picked up the sheet of paper to see what their topic was.

"So what are we doing kid?" Steve asked.

"Rate of a reaction in molecules, ions, and atoms," Ponyboy replied.

"Who knows what that's supposed to mean," Two-Bit exclaimed throwing his hands up in the air.

"The rate of a reaction is the speed at which a reaction happens. If a reaction has a low rate, that means the molecules combine at a slower speed than a reaction with a high rate."

Everyone stared at Johnny.

"Hey, I thought Ponyboy was the walking textbook," Two-Bit commented.

"Will you shut up," Ponyboy said annoyed.

"Boys, is there a problem here?"

The four greasers all turned to see Mrs. James standing near their desks wearing a deep frown on her face.

"I've been watching, and there doesn't seem to be much work being done. I don't want to be disappointed." She looked straight at Ponyboy. "If they get to be to much, please tell me. I'll straighten them out," said Mrs. James.

"Oh we're fine," Ponyboy insisted.

Mrs. James didn't seem convinced. "Well, if you so say," she finally said uncertain, and she walked off to check on her other students.

"You can wipe that grin off your face now," Steve said. "We'll be good."

"Speak for yourself. I'm here to have some fun, and if you don't like it tough," sand Two-Bit. "It's not like you can do anything about it really, or I'll beat the tar out of ya."

"Whatever," Pony said.

"What? You don't believe me?" He punched Pony lightly.

"Hey," Ponyboy protested.

"See, you're so small, it wouldn't be very hard at all."

"You better knock it off Two-Bit, or are you forgetting someone?" Two-Bit looked at Steve confused. "That someone being Darry, who will beat the tar out of us. Ponyboy's already in hot water enough as it is," Steve said.

While the two had been carrying on, Johnny and Ponyboy had been reading through different scientific textbooks, and had managed to complete quite a bit of research.

"Wow kid, you sure have some neat handwriting," Two-Bit just had to open his big mouth again.

On a loose sheet of notebook paper Ponyboy and Johnny had both jotted down some quick notes about collision theory. Ponyboy had come up with the idea of using this to explain how the rate of reaction worked.

"Ok, it all sound nice and good, but we have to test it," Pony told Johnny.

They walked over to an empty spot where they could perform the experiment. Johnny helped Ponyboy make sure that Two-Bit and Steve follow all the safety precautions. They would never argue with Johnny.

"Chemicals are always combining or breaking down. The reactions happen over and over but not always at the same speed. A few things affect the overall speed of the reaction and…" Ponyboy was explaining as he and Johnny set things up for the experiment. Ponyboy had already known that this was going to be a group project where he did all the work.

"If there is more of a substance in a system, there is a greater chance that molecules will collide and speed up the rate of the reaction. If there is less of something, there will be fewer collisions and the reaction will probably happen at a slower speed," Pony continued.

He stopped and turned around to see if Steve and Two-Bit were paying any attention. Surprisingly they were. Son Ponyboy went on to tell them about how temperature and pressure affected the rate of a reaction.

**"**When you raise the temperature of a system, the molecules bounce around a lot more. When they bounce around more, they are more likely to collide. That fact means they are also more likely to combine. When you lower the temperature, the molecules are slower and collide less. That temperature drop lowers the rate of the reaction," said Ponyboy.

The last thing we have to look at in this is pressure. Pressure affects the rate of reaction, especially when you look at gases. When you increase the pressure, the molecules have less space in which they can move. That greater concentration of molecules increases the number of collisions. When you decrease the pressure, molecules don't hit each other as often. The lower pressure decreases the rate of reaction."

As Johnny held the test tube over the Bunsen burner, Ponyboy turned up the heat. No one realized that Two-Bit was actually getting a lot out of the experiment, and that's when it happened.

"I want to work that thing now," said Two-Bit. Before anyone could stop him, Two-Bit turned the heat up as high as it could go. "That's so cool!" Two-Bit exclaimed. But it wasn't to last as within the next few seconds the sounds of a small explosion were heard; and that was how Two-Bit Mathews somehow managed to blow up the chemistry lab.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter # 14: Telling Darry

Thankfully no one was harmed from the incident. The four greasers were suspended for the rest of the week, and given the maximum grade of a '70' on their midterm project.

Two-Bit had confessed to being the one who turned up the temperature on the bunsen burner, and was arrested and taken to jail.

Ponyboy walked home that afternoon with Johnny shaking like he was freezing even though of course he wasn't cold.

"Come on Ponyboy. It wasn't your fault," Johnny tried to ease his best friend's fear.

"It doesn't matter. I got suspended, and for the rest of the week too. I'm not allowed to attend my track practices either. I bet the school's even already called Darry. I'm in for the worst punishment in my life," Ponyboy wined. He as trying hard to hold back the flood of tears he felt behind his eyes.

"He'll probably have a few words with Two-Bit too, after he gets out of jail," Johnny said.

Ponyboy didn't disagree with that one. He figured that Sodapop has already heard the whole story from Steve at work.

Course Steve was lucky Ponyboy thought because his boss let him work during the school hours he was suspended. Ponyboy didn't have that. He wondered what he was going to do with himself after Darry got through with him. He wondered if Soda would be mad at him too. Soda had gotten in a lot of trouble when he was still in school, but he had never once got suspended.

Ponyboy tried to breathe deeply to calm his nerves as he and Johnny approached his house. He could see Darry talking on the telephone through the living room window. Johnny put his hand on Pony's shoulder, and they both walked through the front door as Darry hung up.

"I can explain," Ponyboy blurted out.

"You can start by telling me how you managed to blow up the chemistry lab," Darry said in a very even tone.

"I didn't, Darry," Ponyboy pleaded.

"Two-Bit did," Johnny said.

"Two-Bit? That idiot's not smart enough to tie his own shoes much less than be in your class."

"We combined classes with theirs for this midterm project. There was more students in their class, so Steve, Johnny, Two-Bit, and I got grouped together."

The door swung open and in walked Soda and Steve. Ponyboy glanced quickly in his other brother's direction, but Soda's happy grin was no longer on his face. Steve was lagging slightly behind Sodapop, Ponyboy noticed. There was fear in his eyes as well.

"Sit," Darry ordered. The three of them had already been seated, and they scooted over to make room.

"Where's Two-Bit?" Darry asked.

"In jail," Steve told him.

"They would have arrested us too if we were eighteen," Johnny spoke up.

"No," Steve corrected him. "They arrested Two-Bit because he was the one clowning around, and actually caused the explosion." He looked up slowly. "I tried to make him stop goofing around. I warned him he could cost Ponyboy everything."

Darry looked at his baby brother and Johnny. "Is this true?" he questioned. Both boys nodded.

"What? You don't trust Steve?" Sodapop said outwardly.

"No I don't," Darry said using a tone that warned Soda that this was not the time to challenge his authority.

"So now what?" Soda asked.

"Now, we're a group of three, we get a grade of a '70' at best, and have to keep up with all our class work while we have time off," said Steve.

"I can't believe this happened," Sodapop voiced his feelings. "You're the only one of us that has a chance of making something out of life, and mess it us by doing this. Ponyboy, I got in more trouble than all the hoods combined when I was still in school, but I never got suspended."

Ponyboy froze up. Now Soda was going to lay into him too. He thought this had to be one of the worst days oh his life.

"You never blew up a science lab," Steve informed him.

"Well, what's done is done. You can't change it now," Darry said with a sign. Ponyboy wondered if he was saying that to them our more to himself. "Are you two staying?"

"Yeah, I got kicked out again, for the suspension thing. At least he had a reason this time, Steve said solemnly.

Darry said nothing. He just got up and went to the kitchen to start dinner.

Sodapop gave Ponyboy a look that was so foreign Ponyboy wasn't even sure it was his brother before he got up and followed Darry.

"I'm gonna punish that kid till…"

"Save some for me," Soda interrupted Darry.

"Great," Ponyboy said with a sigh as he leaned back against the back of the couch. "This is just great. Soda's even mad, and I'm almost never in trouble with him."

"It wasn't your fault Two-Bit kept goofing off, kid," Steve reminded him.

:Lot of good that does me," Ponyboy replied.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter # 15: Suspended

It was very rare that Sodapop ever punished his baby brother, but that was exactly what happened that night.

After Dinner the three brothers went into Sodapop's and Ponyboy's room. Darry closed the door tightly behind them, and then stood against the wooden frame.

"Soda gets you first," Darry said. He knew that Soda being upset would be a far worse punishment than he could ever come up with for Ponyboy. It was killing him to have to come down so hard on his brother when Ponyboy really hadn't done anything wrong.

Steve and Johnny sat in the living room of the Curtis house watching television while trying to ignore the loud sounds of yelling and screaming that came from the back of the house.

Ponyboy felt a whole mix of emotions that night as he lay awake beside Sodapop. He felt humiliated, betrayed, angry, hurt, sad, frustrated, and then there were many other feelings he could even name.

Ponyboy knew that he somehow always seemed to feel ten times worse whenever he managed to push Soda to the point of punishment. Maybe it was because he had gotten used to Darry being the one who was in charge and dished out the punishment. Ponyboy thought he had felt the same way the first time it had been Darry who had come down on him in place of their dad.

Because Ponyboy was not allowed to leave the house until the first day he could return to school, he had plenty of time to work with Johnny on all their class work and do twice his normal chores.

Ponyboy was actually enjoying doing school this way with just him and Johnny, though he knew that if this ever happened again was dead and buried.

Johnny was half way finished and Ponyboy was on the third day of his class work by the time Sodapop, Steve, and Darry walked through the door.

Soda didn't pounce on Ponyboy like he normally did when he got home, and Ponyboy took that as a sign that his brother was still mad at him.

The house was unusually quiet that evening as they ate dinner. The food wasn't anything special because Ponyboy had cooked it, and his skills left something to be desired. Darry had ended up having to help him if they were going to have anything edible to eat.

"How much work did you get done today?" Darry asked him.

"I've just started on day three," Ponyboy answered.

Darry nodded. "When you finish you still better stay here at the house," Darry said firmly.

"I know," said Pony.

"Well you don't exactly have a good record for listening," Soda said.

"Right Sodapop, like you can ever stay put for very long," Darry commented.

Johnny was his usual quiet self, but Ponyboy knew that his best friend was petty proud of himself with what he had accomplished.

Ponyboy was all caught up and ahead the next day, so he turned his efforts to helping Johnny.

Geometry was one of the most difficult things for Johnny. He just couldn't seem to be able to grasp the concept of Pythagory and theorem.

"I just can't seem to get it," Johnny admitted.

"You will," Ponyboy insisted. "You just have to remember the steps to set it up right. If you miss a step you can end up with the wrong answer."

Johnny erased the problem on his paper, and started over from the beginning. Ponyboy again worked through the problem with him. It was slow and tedious, but by the time they had finished the math assignment Ponyboy felt Johnny understood the basic frame work of what he was doing.

Next they completed history and English. That didn't take too long. Johnny was really pretty good at it when given enough time.

They always saved Chemistry till last so Steve could join in when he got off work. Steve was always exhausted with all the extra hours he'd been given lately, but he tried to help where he could.

Ponyboy tried extra hard to keep himself in check and make sure all his chores where done each day. He didn't want a repeat of either of his brother's punishments.

The three greasers had to work late when the weekend rolled around. Johnny decided to stay with Ponyboy to keep his best friend company even though Ponyboy told him he could go if he wanted too.

It was at that time that Curly Shepard decided to show up. "Man Curtis, doesn't that bother of yours ever let you off the leash," Curly said when Ponyboy told him he wasn't allowed out.

"I'm in a lot of trouble," Pony tried to explain.

"What Darry doesn't know won't hurt him," Curly egged him on. "C'mon. You said both your brothers are working late tonight, so we just have to get you back before they do. They'll never know you were even gone."

Ponyboy had to admit getting out of the house to go anywhere sounded very tempting, and he knew that Johnny had to be as bored as he was.

"Well…" Pony was thinking it over. "Just for a little while?"

"Sure," Curly grinned.

"Pony, why are you doing this?" Johnny hissed as the two boys followed Curly out of the house. "You're already in enough trouble as it is."

"I know," Ponyboy admitted," but I can't stand being in the house any longer."

"Come on Dally Pet," Curly called to Johnny using the insult name a Soc had called him once when Dally had protected him in a fight. "What can go wrong?"

AN: Thanks everyone for all the reviews and stuff. I'm glad so many readers are enjoying the story, and please feel free to check out some of my other Outsider fics.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter # 16: Trouble with Curly

As Ponyboy's luck would have it, Curly was adamant on having a good time that night.

The three walked about the town hanging out with some of the other tuff outfits, and getting the info on who was jailed, running away, gotten some girl knocked up, and all the other mess. Then Curly decided that he was thirsty, and needed a drink.

"Let's go get a beer or two at Buck's place," he suggested.

"No!" both Ponyboy and Johnny shouted together.

"Curly, I can't go there. It's off limits. Even Sodapop told me to stay away from Buck's, and that's like his only rule. I don't want to break it, or his trust," Ponyboy stated.

"Trust? You get in trouble for something you didn't do and you want to talk about trust?" Curly retorted.

"Ponyboy's right," Johnny took up for him.

"Why are you scared Dally Pet?" Curly chided.

"W-we can go somewhere else to hang out instead," Pony offered. "Maybe the Dingo or something."

"You're not supposed to be going anywhere at all," Johnny reminded him.

"Hey, I here one of the Brumby boys is having a party tonight. Let's go there, or are you chicken?"

While Ponyboy hesitated to answer, Curly pranced around imitating a chicken. Johnny hissed in his ear that they should go back to his house before his brothers found out that he was gone, but at the same time he understood that Ponyboy didn't want to appear as a wimp either. So the two best friends followed Curly to Jake's place. His brother was the leader of the Brumby gang, so they would recognize Curly.

The party was a blast. There was loud music playing, poker games going, greasers fighting to prove who was stronger. Beer bottles were everywhere, and both Ponyboy and Johnny turned them down.

"What's wrong with ya? You might like it ya know," one of Jakes friends said. He was completely wasted, and still chugging down more with a bunch of other guys.

"What's wrong is that his brother is the leader of their gang, and if anything happens to either of these kids, he'll beat the living snot out of ya," a voice behind them boomed.

All three boys turned around to see Tim Sheppard standing there with two beers in hand. He handed one to Curly.

"Yeah, well, who's your brother," the hood asked in a challenging tome of voice.

"Darryl Curtis," Ponyboy replied.

The greaser didn't say anything more after that. He and his buddies turned and walked away.

"What are you doing here?" Tim asked them.

"I brought them here," Curly answered for them.

"I don't think Darry would be too happy with you if he found out you were over here," Tim stated. "Word is you're already in it for blowing up the school lab or something."

"How do you know about that?"

"I asked Steve if he and Two-Bit wanted to come to the party. He told me that he might stop by, but that Two-Bit was in jail. Then he told me why and what happened."

"You mean Steve's here!" Ponyboy exclaimed.

"He might be. Why?"

Ponyboy turned to Johnny. "If Steve sees me here, he'll rat me out for sure," Ponyboy said.

"I don't know why it matters if he does, but I think you better go home before that overprotective brother of yours skins you alive."

"Too late," Ponyboy said.

Across the yard the three could see Steve glaring at them. He folded his arms across his chest as he walked toward them.

"As if you weren't driving Soda bananas enough already," he aid a little too calmly. "Let's go. I'll drive ya home. Johnny, you're coming too, and on the way you two can explain how you got here."

"You aren't gonna say anything, are you?" Ponyboy pleaded as they left.

"What? You think I want Darry on my case too? Course I'm gonna say something."

"C'mon Steve. Please."

"Sorry kid, but I can't. They already know you're out."

"They do, but how?"\

"Well I sort of used the phone to call your house. I was gonna rat you out, but I never got the chance because Soda was already in hysterics thinking he caused to to leave because he came down on you the other night. I told them I knew where you were, and that I'd bring ya home."

"Does Darry know?" Ponyboy asked in a small voice.

"I don't know." Then Steve smirked. "I can't believe Sodapop actually punished you. You, his pride and joy, his baby."

"His what?"

"Seriously kid, are you that dense? That's what you are. You mean everything to your brothers. Why can't you get that through that thick head of yours?"

They arrived back at Pony's house too soon. Ponyboy felt like he was moving in slow motion.

"Let's go get something to eat while they drill the kid," Ponyboy heard Steve say to Johnny. The car drove away as Ponyboy reached the front door. He kept his head down as he stepped inside.

Sodapop immediately grabbed him up in a hug. "Oh, Pony. Why did you leave? Was it because of me? I'm so sorry." Soda began to sob as he squeezed his baby brother tighter.

"I'm sorry," Ponyboy whispered.

"Why'd you leave Pony?" Darry asked.

I was tired of staying in the house all the time. Curly came by and sense you said I could go out after the suspension is over I thought…" Ponyboy's voice trailed off as he saw the frown on Darry's face deepen. "Did I di something wrong, again," he asked quietly.

"I meant for you to stay in the house until Monday when you could go back to school," Darry informed him. "I though I was clear, but sense I might have not been I'll let it slide this time."

Ponyboy couldn't believe what he was hearing. It seemed almost too good to be true, than he remembered where he had been. Had Steve told his brother's where he was?

Sodapop chose that moment to let go of him. "Sit down," he instructed. Ponyboy did as he was told. He took a seat on the couch between his two older brothers. Then he waited for what he thought was sure to come.

So, Steve said he found you at a party," Soda began.

"You want to tell us about it?" Darry confronted.

"I didn't drink, I swear," Ponyboy blurted out. "It was at the Brumby hangout, but Johnny was with me the whole time."

"You know you're not supposed to be over there," Darry continued.

"I know, but Curly…well he…I mean…I didn't do anything bad Darry…well other than break that rule…and…well I figured that if I was gonna get punished, it should at least be for something." There, he had said it. The words were out of his mouth now.

"Ponyboy," Soda said in a comforting voice. "You were punished the other night for being suspended. We know you didn't goof off in the lab."

Darry took over the discussion from there. "We're sorry Ponyboy. You've just been pulling a lot of stuff lately, and well I guess it sort of scared us because we thought you were headed down the wrong path."

"You're not like the rest of us. You're going somewhere Pony. I was afraid to see you through it all away. It was a mistake. Just like you made a mistake by going to that party tonight."

"Nothing happened," Ponyboy insisted. "You have to believe me. Did Steve make up something?"

"We do believe you," Sodapop said. "Steve said he saw a guy hand you a bottle of bear, but you didn't take it or drink anything."

"He did?"

"Yes he did," Darry confirmed. But even if he didn't, I'd still take your word over his any day."

That night Ponyboy had to go to bed early for breaking the rules yet again, but he didn't find. He was really tired anyway, and he was pretty sure that Darry knew it.

Ponyboy didn't even know when Johnny and Steve returned. He was already out cold by then.

AN: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. I guess I've been on a role with this story. I'm going to try to work on some of my other Outsiders fics now, but I'll try to remember to keep updating ever so often.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: A Talk with Darry

Ponyboy felt really weird when he woke up the next morning. He thought it was just because his suspension was coming to an end, and he would be returning to school in the next day or two. He wondered if he'd see Two-Bit. Was that nut still in jail? What else did he have up his sleeve for brightening up everyone's boring school days?

Ponyboy hastily yanked on a pair of jeans only to find that he had on Soda's. They were too big and too long. The other pair on the floor was Soda's also. Ponyboy was getting impatient. He wanted to talk to Sodapop before he left for work. Ponyboy still felt bad about yesterday. He couldn't ever remember seeing his brother so scared before.

Ponyboy ran into the kitchen, but he saw only Darry. He must have missed Soda, but why was Darry there. A loud clasp of thunder answered his questions. Ponyboy hadn't realized that it was raining.

"Morning Pony," Darry said. He sat some plates of chocolate cake and eggs down on the table. "Feel like some breakfast?"

The two brothers sat down at the table together. Ponyboy was feeling nervous because he usually didn't talk to Darry about stuff, but at the moment there was no one else around. Ponyboy took a deep breath.

"Darry, I'm sorry I worried ya last night." Ponyboy blurted out.

Darry swallowed a bite of his cake, and looked at his baby brother. "It's Soda you should apologize to," he said. "He's the one that saved your butt from getting the strap."

Ponyboy flinched. He looked down at his plate. Breaking Darry's rules was one thing, but the one rule Sodapop issued to him was another. Yet Soda hadn't wanted to punish him, and had somehow managed to talk Darry out of it. Was it because he thought he had driven Pony away? Ponyboy couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

It wasn't as if Ponyboy tried to cause as much trouble as there was humanly possible to get into, it just happened. He did really try very hard to do well in his classes at school, please his brothers, and make something of himself, but he just always seemed to find himself stepping in horse poop in the end.

"I'm sorry," Ponyboy mumbled.

"Everyone makes mistakes," Darry told him.

"You don't," Ponyboy commented.

"That's a far cry from the truth Ponyboy," Darry said.

"You never got suspended," Pony ventured.

Darry couldn't help but smile at his baby brother who had always thought he was so perfect. "That's not true either," Darry replied watching the younger greaser raising his eyes is shock.

"You got suspended?" Pony blurted the question almost as if he wasn't hearing it right.

"Let's just say you're not the only one that can set things on fire."

"I didn't blow up the lab, Two-Bit did."

"I know. I wasn't the one that caused the fire either, but I still was held responsible just like you." Darry confirmed.

"So what happened," Ponyboy prompted.

"Well, when I was the president of the NHS my senior year we were all getting ready for the winter dance. Everyone had had a job to do, but for some reason that year there were…um…there were…a lot of difficulties."

"Was that when you were chasing that girl?" Ponyboy asked.

"Yeah, she was the one. Madison was her name. We had had our first fight, and when you asked when she was coming over again, I told you when hell froze over. Then she came over a couple days later. You announced that hell had frozen over, and asked Madison if she knew the devil."

Darry had to laugh at the memory as Pony's cheeks flushed pink. Their mom and dad hadn't been too happy about it.

"Anyway, for some reason I put her in charge of the refreshments and decorations along with her best friend, Karen I think her name was. They were both in NHS also. Anyway, Karen was lazy, and left most of the work to Madison. So the night of the dance I walked in with Cindy Edwards on my arm. I had managed to get a Soc to go with me to the dance sense Madison was still mad at me at the time.

"First thing I did was ask Cindy is she would like some cider to drink, and she told me that it wasn't hot. So then I had a talk with Madison who claimed that George, another one of the NHS members, was supposed to have brought hot cider at home, but thought of heating it up here instead.

"I had assumed that they were using the school cafeteria which I later found out was locked. They had actually come up with the idea to swipe some bunsen burners from the science labs to heat up the cider.

"Madison and I had started to argue because she had practically begged me to let her friend help with things, and they weren't turning out too well. That's when we both smelled something burning, and turned around to find that the table cloth was on fire. Some of the plates and stuff had fallen onto the bunsen burners, and because all the decorations were either paper or wood, everything was going up in flames.

"Minutes later the sprinklers went off and drenched the place. Cindy ran from the gym screaming as her new dress had just been ruined. We never went out again after that, and I was suspended with the others for a week because I had supposedly known about what was going on, yet didn't say anything."

Ponyboy was laughing so hard now that he was rolling on the floor. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His older brother wasn't perfect after all.

AN: Thanks to everyone who left a review and those who have added me to your favorites and alerts. I appreciate it. A special thanks to those who have decided to read some of my other stories that I've written. I'm glad you like them, and those of you that haven't don't know what you're missing.

I want to wish everyone a happy July 4th!


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